Varget powder and Reloader 15 powder ...similar or not?

[kenbo776]

I cant find the posting but I remember someone saying that Reloader 15 and Varget were interchangable . Dont know if they liked them both equally or if they are saying they are same powder just made by different companies. I am down to my last pound of Varget so I picked up two pounds of Reloader 15 today .
Not that I would blindly go ahead and use Reloader 15 at same charge as Varget.....but just wondering if anyone gets close to same preformance between the two powders, when using same components .
I have gotten a lot of very good loads using Varget, but other powders have also preformed very well also. I do find that my best loads seem to be more dependant on bullet choice than powder choice, as my rifle seems to love the 168 gr and the 180 gr HPBT Sierra Matchking , using several differant powders.

[tammons]

RL15 is a different powder and made by Alliant.
Made in Finland I think.

Varget is made by Hodgdon.

[mil-dot]

they are similar in characteristics, but different powders....they react closely, but always start at the minimum and work up, don't assume 42 grains of RE-15 is the same as 42 grains of Varget.

Jesse

[Cover Dog]

I have always been able to get more speed with RL 15. It is what I use in my 22-250 and 6mmBR.

It is made in Sweden.

[lal357]

rl-15 is my goto powder if i cant get any varget for my .223 and my 308 .but like said start low and work up most accurate for is a 2.0 gr difference between them in my 308 about the same in my 223

[Fjold]

The best way to check is go to:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
and
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
and compare the reloading data from the manufacturers.

[bootsmcguire]

I was using 34.0gr Varget in my 22-250 under 55gr Sierra spitzers. When Varget got scarce around here, I took the advice of a seasoned fellow reloader and switched to RL-15. To my suprise my book called out for the same start charge of 34.0gr of RL-15 with that bullet. Loaded some up and my point of imapct was identicle at 100yds. I moved out to 330yds ( the max distance at our local range ) and I had to go 1/8 MOA up and that was it. Same point of impact after that. I was happy I made the switch, RL-15 is about $4 per lb. cheaper and seems to be very similar performance. WIN-WIN

[rjtfroggy]

Call me old(I am) but I still use old faithfull IMR4895 for everything 22-250 through 7mm mag and it works for me but like yours it is always out of stock. Six or seven years ago I started buying in 8lb. containers and have learned to start looking for it when I am down to 3lbs. left in jug.Just like primers powder has become suspiciously scarce so whenever I see in the store (which isn't often) I grab some, started stocking up on primers and powder about six months ago after I ran out and couldn't load anything for almost a month.
IMO start stocking up with what works for you, lay in an over supply because you never know what will happen.

[kenbo776]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my posting. I will look up some load data and try RL-15 the next range session. My dealer got in 8 pounds last shipment so hopefully I can score a couple more before they all get sold.

[BackwoodsBum]

Those are my "go to" powders and they have very similar applications but for me they have very different characteristics.

My Savage in 338-06 shoots good with a 200gr Hornady SST over 56gr of.Varget but is much more accurate with the same charge of RL15. The Varget loads were 20fps faster on average but 10 shots with each showed an extreme spread of over 100fps with Varget and only 27fps with RL15.

My Rock River Varmint A4 .223 with a 20" barrel shows the opposite preference. With a 69gr SMK over 25.5gr of Varget or 25gr of RL15 I get almost identical velocities and extreme spreads less than 25fps with either but on paper the groups are much smaller with Varget.

One thing I have noticed is that when I'm approaching a max load I see the pressure signs quicker with Varget.